Where is the love?
by L.Harriett
Summary: Buffy and the Gang have been Reaped for the 50th Annual Hunger Games! They face Haymitch Abernathy from District 12, but what happens when one of the gang gets too close...?
1. Chapter 1

The 50th Annual Hunger Games; Quarter Quell. What could happen? Well, did you see the one 25 years ago? I wasn't. I'm 16 years old, and my name is Haymitch Abernathy. I live in District 12 with my Mother and younger brother. I have a Girlfriend. I know I don't have much, but I have enough. I live on the Seam, the poorest part of the District, and I am just like every boy around here. Most of the girls swoon before me, but my eyes are locked, on only one. And that one is my one. Esther Wright.

This year's Annual Hunger Games is the second Quarter Quell. In the first Quarter Quell, the 25th Annual Hunger Games, the tributes were voted for, by the other members of the district. That must have been horrible. Anything could happen this year, and I think we're about to find out what will happen...


	2. Chapter 2

"This year, is the 50th Annual Hunger Games!" Exclaimed the escort, "Which means it's a Quarter Quell! So..." She pulled out a gold envelope. "This year's twist is..." She opened the envelope and read the piece of card aloud, "For the Second Quarter Quell, The 50th Annual Hunger Games, the number of tributes will be doubled, meaning that there will be two male and two female tributes from each District!" The crowd was stunned, for a moment, before the escort continueed. "Ladies first!" She reached into the glass ball, which had been the tradition for 50 years, digging deep, and pulling out two tickets. She called the names: "Claudine Cassidy and Maysilee Donner!" The two girls began walking timidly towards the stage, and Haymitch watched as one of the girls, Maysilee, turned around, to find her sister, crying. Haymitch knew her as soon as he saw her face. She was his friend, and she was going to her certain death. _May the odds be ever in your favour,_ Haymitch thought, as he peered over to Esther, thankful that it wasn't her, standing there, on that stage. "And now for the boys!" The escort exclaimed, and Haymitch saw Esther's face tighten, in fear, and in hope. The escort's hand slipped in to bowl and dug and searched, before pulling out two paper slips. She read the names. "Fletcher Murillo and Haymitch Abernathy!" Esther's face loosened, in realisation, and still in fear. Haymitch just stood where he was. Amazed. Fletcher began walking towards the stage, towards the escort, towards Claudine and Maysilee, and towards Death. "Haymitch Abernathy?!" The Escort called again, and Haymitch followed after the boy, Fletcher, towards his death, or his destiny.

**_May the odds be ever in your favour!_**


	3. Chapter 3

The 50th Annual Hunger Games; Quarter Quell. What could happen? Well, did you see the one 25 years ago? We weren't.

I'm 16 years old, and my name is Buffy Anne Summers. I live in District 6 with my mother and younger sister, Dawn. I have 2 best friends, Willow Rosenberg and Xander Harris. I know I don't have much, but I have enough. I live on the Seam, the poorest part of the District, and I am just like every girl around here. The guys ask me to prom; I say maybe. Then they go away, all excited. It's nothing, really.

I'm 17 years old and my name is Alexander "Xander" Lavelle Harris. I live in District 6 with my mother and father. I have 3, very good friends here in District 6. They are Buffy Summers, Dawn Summers, and Willow Rosenberg. I live on the Seam, and don't have much. My father is a drunken; violent man, and every Christmas, I sleep out in the snow. I'm not complaining; I tend to enjoy my 'Annual Christmas Campout', or at least that's as much as my friends know. No one really pays any attention to me, not properly, except maybe Dawn. And I appreciate that.

I am 16 years old and my name is Willow Danielle Rosenberg. I live in District 6 with my mother and friends. Buffy Anne Summers is a good friend to me, along with her 12 year old sister, Dawn Summers. Alexander Lavelle Harris is another good friend of mine. I don't have a lot; just a mother and 3 friends doesn't sound like much. However, you have to be careful what you wish for, because if you ask for a lot, you might end up with too much. Never will I ask for more than I have. I am not as popular as Buffy, yet not as in-significant as Xander. Not the Xander is in-significant. You know what I mean, don't you?

This year's Annual Hunger Games is the second Quarter Quell. In the first Quarter Quell, the 25th Annual Hunger Games, the tributes were voted for, by the other members of the district. That must have been horrible. Anything could happen this year, and I think we're about to find out what will happen...


	4. Chapter 4

"This year, is the 50th Annual Hunger Games!" Exclaimed the escort, "Which means it's a Quarter Quell! So..." She pulled out a gold envelope. "This year's twist is..." She opened the envelope and read the piece of card aloud, "For the Second Quarter Quell, The 50th Annual Hunger Games, the number of tributes will be doubled, meaning that there will be two male and two female tributes from each District!" The crowd was stunned, for a moment, before the escort continued. "Ladies first!" She reached into the glass ball, which had been the tradition for 50 years, digging deep, and pulling out two tickets. She called the names: "Buffy Summers and Willow Rosenberg!" Buffy's heart stopped racing, and started pounding. Both her and her best friend had been reaped. Great. Buffy watched the ginger hair of Willow emerge from the crowd, then stop, and look around. Buffy stepped out the join her. They held hands and walked towards the stage together, like true friends. Behind her, within the crowd of remaining girls that hadn't been Reaped, she heard her 12 year old sister's voice. Dawn's voice. Screaming.  
"No... Buffy! BUFFY! DON'T GO! BUFFY! NO!" Dawn screamed, and she struggled. Xander rushed over and held her. And still she struggled. She struggled against Xander's grip. She loved her sister, but she couldn't bring herself to volunteer. Maybe it was because she was younger then Buffy. She didn't know. All she knew was that she wanted her sister safe. But she wouldn't get what she wanted.  
"And now for the boys!" The escort exclaimed. Xander held his breath, as both of his friends had already been reaped, and he so hoped he wouldn't be. He hoped he would be able to visit Buffy before she left and promise her that he would look after Dawn. The escort's hand slipped in to bowl and dug and searched, before pulling out two paper slips. She read the names: "Randall Armstrong and Alexander Harris!" Xander stood, frozen, with Dawn in his arms. Buffy and Willow's faces dropped. They weren't a duo in the games any longer, they were now the trio. And none of them could believe it. _"ALEXANDER HARRIS! YOU GET ON THAT STAGE, RIGHT NOW!" _Xander heard his father's voice screaming in his head. "Randall Armstrong and Alexander Harris?!" The escort called again, having not seen either boy emerge from the crowd. Xander was the first to move.  
"No." Dawn said, turning in Xander's arms, to face him. "Not you, too."  
"I'm sorry, Dawnie."  
Xander took Dawn to her mother, before turning back to the crowd and seeing that the other boy, Randall Armstrong, was still frozen. Xander knew the boy from school, so he walked back into the crowd, and tapped the boy on the shoulder.  
"I think that's you, mate." He said softly; kindly. Like the boy he had been, and not the boy he was about to become...


	5. Chapter 5

DISTRICT 12  
Haymitch stepped onto the train, along with Fletcher, Claudine and Maysilee, and was stunned. "Have you never seen a train before?" Fletcher asked, seeing Haymitch's surprised face, as Claudine giggled and Maysilee gasped.  
"No, only the outside" Haymitch replied. "Have you seen the inside of a train before?"  
"Yeah, I work on trains, with my father."  
"How come? I don't start work 'till next year." Haymitch hurried, as he realised what he'd just said. "If I survive 'till next year, that is."  
"Don't worry about being positive," Fletcher laughed, "Anyway, the only reason I'm working is that I'm eighteen next week. If you can't work until next year, I'd guess you're 16?" Fletcher's analysis ended as a question, but Haymitch didn't take any notice. He simply said:  
"Yeah. I am."

From the outside, the train was grey and black, and boring, and ordinary. Just like everything else on the Seam, in District 12. However, the inside was an entirely different matter.

The carpet was ruby coloured wool, and the seats were ruby coloured velvet, with contrasting, silken, emerald cushions. There were windows in the sides of the train, so the tributes could view the surroundings as they travelled into the other districts. However, only 4 tributes would see all 12 districts; Haymitch Abernathy, Fletcher Murillo, Claudine Cassidy, and Maysilee Donner. The curtains around these windows, were laced, and the same, emerald colour as the cushions on the seats. There were tables with beautiful ruby and emerald, linen cloths, topped with foods of all sorts. There was stew, rice, bread, fruits, and more. The four tributes currently on the train glanced at each other, and began laughing, before racing towards the food. Between them, the four tributes served a small bowl of stew and rice each, and Haymitch picked up a roll of bread. Pulling it apart, Haymitch found that the bread had been freshly baked by the Mellark family. A family he didn't know too well, however, he didn't know many of the families well. Haymitch took his time eating the delicious delicacies from the Capitol (and the district). Later on, he found that each district supplied the train with freshly baked bread. So Haymitch took one from each district, but still preferred the bread from home. _At least I still have __some__ familiarity left._ He thought. _After all, these games are either going to change my life; or end it._

DISTRICT 6  
Buffy, Xander and Willow paused, before the train that would take them to the capitol to prepare for the Games. Obviously, they'd all been inside a train before, as Diistrict 6 specialises in Transportation, but never before had they been in a _Capitol_train. "I guess it'll just be the same as usual." Buffy said, hoping that it would.  
"What, grey and dull and dismal?" Willow said to her.  
"Come on, guys, this is the _Capitol_ we're talking about. This train won't be dull OR dismal. It'll be vibrant and ridiculous. So, the question is..."  
"Are we ready?" Buffy whispered.  
"Yes." Said Willow, confidently. "We're ready."  
The first person to board the train from district 6 was Randall Armstrong, who had been stood beside Xander, listening to their conversation about the train. As soon as Randall set foot on the train, the other 3 heard a subtle "wow" and a surprised gasp, and they _had_ to see what it was like. Willow froze. Buffy blinked twice. Xander walked straight over to the food table.  
"Will..." Buffy gasped.  
"I know." Willow replied, not taking her eyes off of the interior of the train. This was definitely not what they had expected. Everywhere they looked, there were two clear, vibrant colours. Ruby and Emerald. Looking over to Xander, Buffy sighed, before walking to the other side of the train and collapsing onto a ruby, velvet couch. Having come over the origional shock of the train's beauty, Willow joined her.  
"Hey, what are you two feminins a-talking about without me?" Xander asked, as he strolled over.  
"What makes you think we were talking?" Willow asked him, confused.  
"Nothing." Buffy looked at him, funny. "Except that statement." Buffy rolled her eyes, before adding:  
"We weren't talking, Xander. Come on, we might as well go and get some rest, before we arrive there."  
"Ever the feminin sensibleist, Miss Summers. Ever the sensibleist." Xander muttered, before he and Willow agreed with Buffy, and went off somewhere to get some rest.


	6. Chapter 6

Haymitch stepped off of the train, onto the station of the Capitol. There, he saw masses, and masses of people wearing ridiculous clothing, and with ridiculously coloured hair. It was unlike anything he'd ever seen before. It was unlike anything ANY of the 48 Tributes had seen before.  
Fletcher Murillo, Claudine Cassidy and Maysilee Donner joined Haymitch on the station. "Haymitch," Maysilee began. "You okay?"  
"Yeah," Haymitch replied, turning to her. "Why wouldn't I be?"  
"Well..." Maysilee considered, before replying; "We can't all be okay, all the time." She was right. Haymitch wasn't okay. He missed home. Although he still had one roll of bread from District 12 in his pocket, along with the locket Esther had given him, it wasn't enough to make him feel comfortable. He kept thinking of the moment he'd had to say goodbye. The moment he left Esther behind.

_"Haymitch." Esther said, running into the room, lined with velvet. "Haymitch, are you alright?!"  
"I'm fine, Esther. I'll be fine. Now stop fussing. Are __you__ alright?"  
"Yes. I'm alright, Haymitch. I just... I don't..."  
"You don't want to see me compete, is that it?" And that was the moment the she had pulled him into a tight hug, and her shoulders started shaking. Haymitch didn't know a girl could be that strong, but he let the hug happen. Normally he wouldn't, but under these circumstances, he did. "Esther, we don't have much time. They'll be coming soon. They'll take you away from me."  
"Right..." Esther said, as she pulled away, wiping the tears from her face, and holding out her left fist.  
"What's that?"  
"Just take it, Haymitch." Haymitch held out his hand, and Esther dropped the item in his palm. Although it had been locked in Esther's hand, the locket felt cold. It was gold, and on the front it was plain. Just three dots in the middle. "Turn it over." Esther whispered. Heymitch obeyed, and on the back were four initials.  
__**'**__H,A  
E,W__**'**__  
It was the locket he had given Esther for her birthday. "Esther, this is..."  
"Happy Birthday; Haymitch."  
"But it's not my Birthday."  
"I know." She placed a peck on his cheek, before backing away, and out the door. She never turned around. Never turned her back on him. And that meant something. The last thing Haymitch heard, before the Peackeepers came, was Esther's voice in his head, saying __'open it.'__ He never did open that locket._

"Haymitch?" Maysilee's voice brought Haymitch back to Earth. "Haymitch, are you sure you're alright?"  
"Fine." Haymitch told her. "I'm fine."  
"Alright, then." Haymitch, Maysilee, Fletcher and Claudine headed into the large building in front of then, the building that had 12 levels, plus a 13th underground level. The building where they would be staying, before the games. The building they would see more than once.

Buffy, Willow and Xander stepped off of the magnificent train together. It was almost dark, when they arrived at the Capitol, but in the light of the setting sun, they could clearly see the colours on the people who had come to meet them. It was unlike anything they, or any of the other 45 tributes, had ever seen in their entire lives. "Wow." Exclaimed Buffy.  
"And we thought Ivelisse Snider was bad." Xander said.  
Willow just sighed at Xander's stupidity. '_After all'_, she though, _'that's the reason I love him.'_  
Ivelisse was the escort for District 6. The escorts were all from the Capitol, originally, and they help to prepare the Tributes for the games. It's the escort who pulls the names from the Glass Ball at the Reaping. However, there is also a mentor...  
"Are you children ready?" Asked the District 6 mentor, Rupert Giles, as he walked up behind Buffy, Willow and Xander, with the fourth tribute from District 6, Randall Armstrong.  
Buffy nodded.  
Willow nodded.  
Xander turned to Randall, "You alright, mate?" He asked, softly. Randall nodded. "Then yes," Xander said, turning to Rupert. "We're ready."  
The five of them turned, and joined Ivelisse in walking towards the building that enclosed the rooms they would soon be confined to, until it was time to go and endure the games, in a fight to the death. "Randall..." Xander turned to the boy beside him.  
"Yeah?"  
"How old are you?"  
"Thirteen, why?"  
"These are some tough games, you know."  
"I know."  
"Are your sure you're ready for this?"  
"No, I can never be totally sure that I'm ready to go to my almost-certain death, but that's something I'll have to live with. Until I don't."  
"Right..." Xander paused, in a moment of confusion. "Good luck."  
"And to you, friend." No-one had ever called him _'friend'_ before. It had always been _'creep'_ or _'freak'_ or _'idiot'_ or _'boy'_, but never _'friend'_. And he like it. He liked the feeling he got when he was called_ 'friend'_ by someone who was not, of yet, his friend. It felt good. But that good feeling bought him to remember a bad feeling. A _very_ bad feeling...

_'No one's coming. Why's no one coming? This is possibly the last time I will __**ever**__ be seen by my friends and family, but no one's coming. And I can't imagine why.'__ Xander thought as he sat on the velvet couch and waited for someone, __anyone__ to enter through the door he constantly kept staring at. He half expected Buffy or Willow to come, before he reminded himself that they had been reaped, too. Of course, he certainly didn't expect Dawn Summers to timidly walk through the door.  
"Dawnie?"  
"Hey, Xander."  
"Shouldn't you be with Buffy, and your Mom?"  
"Probably. But I wanted to say something... To all of you."  
"What's that?"  
"Good luck." Xander crouched down, before Dawn.  
"Only one of us can come out alive. You know that, don't you?"  
"I know, but I love you all. I don't want you to die at the hands of a stranger. And..." She pulled something out of her pocket. "I made them." She turned around, and fled, pausing at the door. "Wear it." She said. "In the games. Promise me, you'l wear it." Xander looked down at the piece of string with an 'X' hanging from it, in his hand. A necklace.  
"I promise."  
"I know it's not something a boy would normally wear but..."  
"I'll wear it, Dawnie. I promise."  
"Okay." That was the last think she said, before running off. Xander turned the 'X' thrice in hand, and saw and engraving on the back.  
__'May you be loved.__  
__Dawnie x'__  
Then, something unexpected happened. A tear rolled down Xander's cheek. He didn't wipe it away. He let it fall. Because he wasn't loved. He wanted Dawn to believe, and be happy, and be everything he wasn't. If he was loved, then she wouldn't be. But she __was__ loved. Xander wasn't, and he was okay with that, as long as the people he loved were loved, he was okay._


End file.
